Artificial christmas tree



Dec. 18, 1956 G. B. SMITH 2,774,165

ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE Filed Dec. 27, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sa r'Zand .B. Emmi-h 2 Sheets-Sheen 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1954 United States Patent 9 ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREE Garland B. Smith, Madison, Wis.

Application December 27, 1954, Serial No. 477,655

Claims. (CI. 41-15) This invention relates to novelty ornaments and refers more particularly to a decorative novelty made of foraminous metal foil and especially suitable for use as a Christmas decoration.

It is an object of this invention to provide an attractive Christmas decoration made of foraminous metal foil or the like and having the general configuration and appearance of a sparkling Christmas tree.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a Christmas decoration of the character described, having an attractive sparkling and shimmering appearance similar to that of the Artificial Christmas Tree shown and described in Patent No. 2,669,049, issued to Garland B. Smith on February 16, 1954.

However, it is a particular object of the present invention to provide an ornament of the character described which may be manufactured at lower cost and with substantially less labor than is required to make the ornament of the aforesaid patent.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of an ornament having a central standard comprising a plurality of rods which cooperate to clampingly hold a plurality of foraminous metal foil sheets, and wherein the sheets have winglike portions projecting substantially radially from the central standard and substantially concealing the supporting rods.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an ornament in the nature of an artificial Christmas tree embodying the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 2a is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the plane of the line 2a2a in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a group perspective view of the components of the ornament of this invention shown in partially assembled relationship.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 5 designates generally the ornament of this invention, which in the present instance is illustrated as having the shape of a Christmas tree, but

I which may have any other desired shape, as for instance the shape of a bell, snowflake or snowball. In general, the ornament comprises a plurality of straight rods 6, securement means 7, 8 at each end of the rods holding them closely together in substantially parallel relation ship, and a plurality of sheets 9 of ornamental material, each partially embracing one of the rods so that the sheets have wings 13 which extend substantially radially from the central standard collectively defined by the rods.

More specifically, each of the sheets is cut from foraminous metal foil, and to provide an ornament having the general conical shape of an evergreen or Christmas tree each sheet has substantially the shape of an isosceles triangle.

Each sheet has a medial zone 10 extending longitudinally therethrough from its apex 11 to the center of its base 12 and which defines a pair of similar and equal sized triangular wings 13, one at each side of the medial zone. The medial zone of each sheet is bent around one of the rods 6 so that the sheet partially embraces. the rod (as best seen in Figure 2), and the wings of the sheet extend substantially radially from the rod, being disposed at an angle to one another.

In the ornament illustrated there are two sheets partially embracing each rod, and their medial zones overlie one another while their wings extend radially from the rod at substantially uniform angles to one another. Preferably the material of the sheets is clinched around the rod at spaced apart points 14 along the length of the rod to better secure the sheets to the rod and thus facilitate assembly of the ornament. To enhance the appearance of the ornament, each of the wings is preferably deformed in a series of laterally adjacent fiutings extending substantially transversely to the rod, in such a manner as to provide what may be characterized as a marcel wave efiect along the height of the wing.

Where the ornament has the shape of a Christmas tree, like that illustrated, the ends of the rods adjacent to the bases of the triangular sheets will preferably be secured together by a holder 7 having the appearance of -a tree trunk and Christmas tree stand, comprising a cylindrical member 15 concentrically mounted on a broad support 16 which in this case is shown in the form of a substantially wider cylinder but which may be of any other suitable shape. The cylindrical tree trunk member 15 has a plurality of axial wells 17 opening to its upper end, and in each of these wells one of the rods has its lower end portion snugly received. The upper ends of the rods are drawn tightly together by means of a suitable ornamental trim member 18 having a single downwardly opening well therein in which the several rods fit snugly.

It will be seen that the drawing together of the rods at their upper ends by means of the ornament 18 causes; the rods to securely clamp the several sheets of material confined between them to thus prevent displacement of the sheet material in any direction.

A very satisfactory and attractive ornament has been produced by employing three rods, each a straight length of steel piano wire, with two sheets of material embracing each rod, all as illustrated in the figures. The ornament thus has a total of 12 wings, each of which is disposed at: an angle of about 30 degrees to its adjacent wings, although by reason of the marcel wave fluting of the wings this disposition need not be exact and the appear-- ance of stiffness which would obtain if the wings were not so fluted is avoided. Obviously the wings may be left fiat if desired. Preferably, the wings are formed from foraminous metal foil, in the nature of expanded aluminum foil, colored on one side, and this imparts to the ornament a shimmering luster caused by penetration of' light through the foramina of the metal foil and enhanced by reflections off of the surface of the metal and the difierent colors on the two sides of each sheet.

It will be appreciated that if an ornament of diiferent shape is desired, each of the sheets will be cut to a configuration conforming to the intended profile of the completed ornament. For example, if the ornament is to resemble a bell, each sheet will have a bell-shaped outline, and the securement means 7, 8 will be suitably modified in shape.

l ron'l the foregoing description, taken together with .the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that this invention provides an ornament in the nature of an artificial Christmas tree or the like which is extremely attractive in appearance and inexpensive to manufacture, and which may be made in a variety of shapes and from difierent kinds of ornamental materials.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An ornament comprising: a base; a plurality of rods extending upwardly from the base, said rods having their bottoms secured to the base closely adjacent to one another and being thereby held substantially parallel to one another; a sheet of ornamental material partially embracing each of said rods, with a portion of each sheet at a narrow medial zone thereof interposed between the rods and with opposite side portions of the sheet extending substantially radially outwardly from the rod embraced'thereby; and securement means at the upper ends of said rods holding their upper end portions drawn together in clamping engagement with the adjacent medial zones of the several sheets of ornamental material to hold said sheets against displacement.

2. An ornament comprising: a plurality of sheets of ornamental material, each having a narrow medial zone extending entirely across the sheet and a pair of wings extending from said medial zone and disposed at an angle to one another; a plurality of straight rods, each overlying the medial zone of one of the sheets, between the angularly disposed wings of the sheet; and securement means at both ends of said rods holding all of said rods in substantially parallel contiguous relationship and clampingly confining between the rods parts of said sheets near one of said securement means and in the medial zones of the sheets, the wings of said sheets extending substantially radially from the rods.

3. The ornament of claim 2, wherein the wings of each of said sheets are fluted substantially transversely to the medial zone of the sheet; and wherein a plurality of sheets have their medial zones directly overlying one another beneath each of said rods.

4. The ornamentof claim 2 wherein each of said sheets is substantially triangular and the medial zone of each sheet extends from its apex to the center of its base; wherein all of said sheets'are secured with their apexes adjacent to one another; and wherein the securement means at the end of said rods adjacent the bases of the sheets comprises a stand for mounting the rods in an upright position. 7

5. The ornament of claim 1, wherein said rods are resiliently flexible; and wherein the means for securing the rods to the base comprises individual upwardly opening wells each of a size to snugly receive and support a rod in an upright position, each'ot' said wells being spaced from an adjacent well so as to assure clearance between the portions of. the sheets encircling the rods during individual insertion of the lower ends of the rods into their respective wells.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,689,530 Landers Oct. 3%, 1928 2,279,182 Snyder Apr. 7, 1942 2,669,049 Smith -4 Feb. 16, 1954 

